It can feel scary to talk to young children about war. But as a global community, we need to help our children make sense of what they see in all the sources of media streaming around them. This is the world our children now live in and it may feel unsafe to them. We want our children to grow up to be compassionate problem-solvers rather than fearful citizens who believe they are powerless to make any kind of change in the world around them. Here are some important guidelines about how to talk to kids about war.
Teach your child that you’re their number one source of information
If they have questions about things they hear about or see in the news, they should come to you first with those questions. It’s easy for people to hear and spread incorrect information, so you are their best resource for the facts. Reassure your child that they are safe and secure
Explain that you will keep them safe. Tell them that scary things do sometimes happen in the world, but these things feel shocking in part because they are rare.
Admit that there are some bad people in the world
Explain that the world is full of good people, but also some bad ones, and that is why we must all understand the difference between right and wrong. It’s hard to understand why people do what they do or why countries do what they do. However, the world has many, many more good people in it than bad people. Talk to your children about how the global community is trying to help innocent people suf...